Under pressure, California lawmakers are putting the state on track to assure the lowest-paid workers a $15-per-hour wage within six years. The landmark legislation takes an incremental approach toward addressing the pressing issue of income inequality — but it’s not without risk.

The political momentum behind boosting the minimum wage is undeniable, obliging Sacramento to huddle with labor groups pushing a plan to set the $15 mark on the November ballot. Nervous leaders, such as Gov. Jerry Brown, wanted a slower schedule to phase in the higher pay rate, fearing a hit to state payrolls along with the rest of California’s economy.

A higher wage has appeal and social value. Wealthier areas such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego are already committed to pay rates beyond the state’s current $10 minimum wage. The new proposal will affect nearly a third of the workforce now scraping by. But it comes with unknowns such as potentially higher bills for everyone else, job losses as businesses trim costs, and higher state wages that may be hard to cut if the economy cools.

It’s an easy call politically in a state dominated by Democrats where unions are strong, and it plays into campaign trail talk of a wealth gap in a society splitting between rich and poor. But a finger-snap state law mandating higher wages is divorced from basic economics that underlie wages. Even for those at the bottom of the wage scale, the benefits of a bigger paycheck may be offset in part by higher prices at the mall, coffee shops and supermarket checkout lines — and perhaps fewer entry-level job opportunities.

Fight for higher wage

Thus, California lawmakers were right to jump in with with an incremental approach through legislation as an alternative to an all-or-nothing ballot measure. A voter-approved initiative could not be changed without going back to the voters.

The labor sponsors of the November ballot measure are expected to drop their plan, which set the $15 figure on a quicker timetable.

The governor expressed support for the Legislature’s approach. Brown noted that the proposed levels can be changed if the state economy weakens — a prime concern of his — and gives more time to small businesses that employ 25 or fewer people to reach the $15 mark.

California legislators should now look for ways to solidify their commitment to expanding prosperity through tax incentives and regulatory relief that lead to the creation of jobs that can exceed this new minimum scale.